1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grip tape and a replacement grip tape for a ball game racket, in particular tennis, squash, raquetball, badminton or paddle tennis racket. According to a further aspect of the present invention, it relates to a process for producing grip tapes of this kind. Moreover, the invention relates to a grip for ball game rackets of this kind, in particular in combination with a grip tape according to the invention, a ball game racket comprising a grip of this kind, and a process for producing a grip or racket of this kind.
Ball game rackets of the above-mentioned type comprise a frame having a head region for receiving a stringing and a hand grip or grip portion. Rackets of this kind can further comprise a heart region or fork being arranged between the head region and the grip portion.
The hand grip or grip portion of a ball game racket is particularly important since it is the link between racket and player. The hand grip or grip portion in particular serves the purpose of allowing the player to safely grip and guide the racket in different playing situations. The grip or grip portion thus serves for transmitting forces from the player to the racket. The other way round, the forces or shocks or vibrations occurring at the racket during the game, i.e. when contacting the ball, are transmitted to the player through the hand grip or grip portion.
The configuration of the hand grip or grip portion influences both the grip feel and guidance, i.e. the handling of the racket in different playing or gripping positions and the stress occurring at the player's palms being in direct or indirect contact with the grip and also the introduction of playing forces or shocks or vibrations into the hand or arm of the player and thus also the player's gripping and playing comfort.
Grip tapes are normally wrapped around the grip of a ball game racket in order to allow the player to handle the racket in the best possible manner. Different criteria such as, e.g., tack, moisture dissipation and cushioning effect are important in this regard.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional replacement grip tape is described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,418. A grip tape of this kind comprises an elongate, rectangular base shape and is wrapped spirally around the grip so that the edges thereof overlap. In the overlapping regions, raised regions are formed by the two layers of grip tape so that a structured grip surface is obtained. The thus created circumferential convexity or curvature should, on the one hand, increase the grip feel of the tape but can, on the other hand, also be uncomfortable for the player's hand and cause, e.g., blisters.
DE-A-38 10 778 suggests a grip tape for sport rackets which is chamfered along one or both edges so that the convexities formed when wrapping the hand grip are reduced or even prevented. However, avoiding such convexities is accompanied by a reduction in the grip feel. Further grip tapes that are chamfered along one or both end portions are known from DE 90 03 995 U1, WO-A-91/11223 and FR-A-2 813 535.
Furthermore, also different embodiments of hand grips or grip portions of ball game rackets are known, in particular also ergonomically formed grips and other symmetrical or asymmetrical grip shapes. Corresponding examples are shown in GB-A-600 845, DE-A-196 41 464, DE 20 2004 009 870 U1, DE-A-33 12 927, DE-A-29 28 995, DE-U-80 06 475, DE-U-90 02 204; CA-B-2079370, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,926, DE-A-196 41 464, WO-A-01/97923 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,539,029.
These known grips are not satisfactory in view of their grip feel, their suitability for gripping different gripping positions in different playing situations, in view of the force transmission and in particular in view of the forces, shocks or vibrations transmitted to the player, their fixing requirements, their relatively involved and thus expensive production and/or their high weight.